Society of Stampaholics: Wednesday Wonders

65 entries categorized "Wednesday Wonders"

April 28, 2010

Spotlight on Vicky Papaioannou

Today's Wonder is Vicky Papaioannou from Thessaloniki in northern Greece. Vicky is a true inspiration because scrapbooking/cardmaking is pretty much unheard of in her country. She says most people have never even heard of scrapbooking and there are no scrapbooking stores in her entire country. So she goes online for all of her supplies. Then she makes demos of her creations to share with the world via her blog, Clips'n'Cuts.

Now that's dedication.

Ladies, meet Vicky!

Like all those Europeans, she looks very hip and chic. (She wrote with envy because having big hips isn't the same thing as being hip, and chic is usually mispronounced as "chick" over here so, really, there seems to be no hope of ever achieving either if you're from the Heartlands, so why not just go ahead and eat that Sara Lee cheesecake because you're doomed to being a hippy chick, so just accept it, climb into that Sears Women's Wear, and embrace your inner - and outer - Frump.)

(Anybody not laughing at that last statement is waaaaaay too cool for this blog, btw.)

I love the picture, below - doesn't this look like a photo from Cosmo or something? Right next to that story about Having It All.

And I do believe that our Vicky has achieved Have-It-All-edness. She's got a lovely husband, two beautiful children, a job she enjoys, and she's a talented paper crafter!

Nirvana.

I like Vicky's work because it's got a fresh quality to it - which I can hardly explain, sad to say. I suspect that Vicky sees things just a little bit differently, and that's where it comes from? All I know is that her cards usually have something that surprises me - and it's always a good surprise. Her work always makes me want to go try what she just did. Case in point:

The whole idea here is fresh - how clever to use puzzle pieces for expressing the traditional hugs and kisses sentiment! And I like the simple kraft background because it really allows those vivid colors to pop. (Now I'm just itching to raid Gigi's toybox.)

Here she's stamped her coffee pot on patterned paper. When I saw it, I thought to myself, "There she goes again. I never would have considered stamping that coffee pot on patterned paper! AND she's using it as a vase - how unique!" The end result is a card that I find rather arresting and very, very cool. (Now I want to use a non-vase stamp as a vase!)

Yes, folks, that's a tongue depressor. When was the last time you saw one as a bookmark? And what a cool way to use up ribbon fragments! Watch a demo of this - and get some variations, as well. (Now I'm planning on pinching a few tongue depressors from my doctor next week. Seriously, I've been meaning to send Jennifer McGuire something for her card drives for ailing children, and I can think of nothing better than turning an unpleasant object into a fun one, so I'm definitely planning on lifting your idea, Vicky!)

A bowl of noodles made of embroidery floss!? When was the last time you saw THAT on a card? And how great to have the birdie nabbing some? Just. So. Fresh!

That's Vicky - I always enjoy seeing her latest creation because I know I'm going to see something in a way I never considered. And that's really important if you're looking for inspiration - a fresh take on an old idea or object. Vicky's cards will definitely get your creative wheel a'goin'!

Vicky's cards have won some awards: 3rd Place in the Hero Arts blog Glitter Challenge and 3rd Place in Caardvarks Red Heart Challenge. She's not been published yet nor been on a Design Team, but she creates terrific demo videos of her work and has quite a following on YouTube. Something tells me somebody's going to be knocking at her door one of these days.

I asked Vicky if she had any pictures of her creative space, and she begged off, saying, "It’s a total mess. I started cardmaking a year ago with just a small table and couple of drawers but since then I've got so much stuff that nothing I had was enough for storage. I am in the middle of reorganizing my space so everything is currently in boxes all around the floor waiting for the new furniture to come in! But I promise I’ll share some photos as soon as everything is in order."

We look forward to seeing it, Vicky!

And now, with no further ado, lift your Cherry Vanilla Diet Doctor Pepper's (yes, I'm currently steppin' out on my Diet Coke - what a hussy!) to Vicky Papaioannou, an Inspiration Diva to all!

Vicky's Wonder-ful Interview

1. Do you pre-sketch a design or do you just leap out of the gate? How long does it usually take you to make a page? A card?

Making a card means deciding which stamps to use! So I put the stamps I choose on the table and everything else just comes to me. It usually takes me about half an hour to make a card because I usually do embossing or distressing or paper-piecing, and I love layers. To make a one-layer card is the biggest challenge for me! LOL!

Half an hour? I think I'll go shoot myself now....

2. How many, on average, pages per week do you make? Cards?

I don’t make pages any more. No time, I guess, although it’s always in my new year’s resolutions... I think I'm gonna fail on this again this year! I usually make about 3-4 cards per week.

I hear you on the failed resolution thing. I think I need to increase my guilt or I'm never going to get that child's life on paper!

Kraft cardstock goes with just about any patterned paper! So stamp a cute design on patterned paper, cut around it, and stick it on kraft cardstock using pop-dots. There you have it! Oh! and some faux-stitching with white pen or a white embossed sentiment will really do it’s magic!

Martha Stewart can just go home, I think!

4. What's your stand-by, FAST dinner solution for those times when you really want to get to your scrap space ASAP (or stay ALAP)?

Spaghetti bolognese! Tasty, fast, everyone is happy ... and I am free to go!

Here they are in no particular order: ATG Gun, heat tool for embossing, my scissors, Fiskars Paper Trimmer, white opaque pen, edge distresser, acrylic blocks, CraftRobo, Cuttlebug, Exacto knife:

Okay, what's an ATG gun and a CraftRobo?

6. If you were still on that island, what kind of noise would you want (if any) in the background? List as many as five different favorite musical artists.

Since I would be in that lovely island I would love to listen to the birds singing or a running river for a chance! Or my kids laughing and playing in the fields.

7. If you could have anything you wanted, (concerning scrapping or stamping) what would it be?

An organized scrap room! Full of storage solutions!

I think that's the battle cry of the Wild Stamper....

8. What about your style/artistry are you least satisfied with?

I’d love to make simple cards. And I mean really simple with white background. It’s impossible for me to do that! No way! And I love when I see such simple but pretty cards.

White cards are very, very hard, in my opinion. I love making them, but they're so draining I can't sustain my creativity for long with them. I can do about three of them and then I need a recovery period of a couple of weeks....

9. What cameras have you tried, which one is your favorite, and why? (You can shorten this to just the one you're using now if you like.)

I used a Kodak p850 but it’s way too slow and difficult to handle, I also have Canon Ixus 860 as well, but this one is just a compact camera (love it, though). I prefer my new Canon EOS 1000D which is DSLR, and I have a choice of nice lenses.

10. What's the word or phrase that comes to your lips when you mess up while creating? ("Unprintable" is definitely an option!)

That would need a translator since I would say it in Greek... I don’t think I could find the correct word in English.... something like “eeeeek” or “gross”!

Well, just spray some Windex on it and I'm sure it will be fine. (That would be a reference to one of my all-time favorite movies, My Big Fat Greek Wedding. Anybody who hasn't seen it needs to rent it this weekend, and I don't mean maybe!)

11. Give us a quick description of your pets.

As much as we love them we don’t have any... (yet).

12. Give us a quick description of your job.

I have studied Informatics and I have a MSc degree in Information Systems Engineering. After working as a programmer in many companies, now I am a high school computer teacher and I love it!

13. Give us a quick description of your family.

I am happily married to Aris (also a computer programmer) and we have two children. Maria is 4 and Kostas is 18 months. Taking care of our family actually takes all of our free time.

Yes, I hear you. But you must be really good at time management because you can produce so much and still take care of everybody. What's your secret?! (Don't make me come to Greece and beat it out of you, girlie!)

14. Got a fun or little known fact about yourself you’d like to share?

I am a night stamper. Haven’t made a single card in daylight! I always scrap when the kids go to sleep.

I suspect there are a lot of Midnight Stampers out there - vampires got nuthin' on us!

15. What’s your favorite stamping technique?

Embossing!

16. What do you find more satisfying - the process or the product?

Definitely the process. And I love making my “how-to” videos! It’s so much fun recording, editing and then reading comments and feedback! I also love giving my cards to others!

I agree with all of that!

❧

Check out more of Vicky's art at her blog and her Flickr photostream. And don't forget to go watch her YouTube videos!

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April 7, 2010

Spotlight on Maria Fika Evelina

Today's Wonder is fresh off the celebrity boat, having been featured as a Win a Day on the Blog winner last week over at the Hero Arts blog. This is a very coveted spot and only open to six artists every quarter - and this is from a pool of over 2,000 members, so that should tell you something about her creative abilities.

Please meet Maria Fika Evalina, better known to many of us simply as Fika.

So does anyone else think our little beauty is like... fourteen? I'm going to include a second picture of Fika because it's so fabulous:

Fika lives in Indonesia. Did you know the name Indonesia derives from the Latin Indus, meaning "India", and the Greek nesos, meaning "island"? Did you further know Indonesia consists of 17,508 islands, about 6,000 of which are inhabited? With a population of around 230 million people, it is the world's fourth most populous country, and supports the world's second highest level of biodiversity (Brazil is #1). And the people are as diverse as the flora and fauna: there are approximately 300 distinct native ethnicities in Indonesia, and 742 different languages and dialects!

The influences of Fika's culture and physical surroundings are something I envy. Her eyes were raised in an environment that is very different from mine. She's surrounded by a myriad of color combinations and design sensibilities that are much more exotic and visually stimulating than those found in my white bread world. So often when she creates it's like a breath of fresh air. Like this colorful marvel:

Fika can use the color red as a grounding "neutral" and the result is a vibrant, energized visual treat! (If I tried to pull this off it'd just end up looking like a bloodbath - no pun intended.) A Fika trademark is her attention to detail. Check out those bath bubbles, for instance!

Or how about this beautiful (and very clever) work of art? She made this by recycling some product packaging! Just look at all these beautiful bursts of color! And, again, look at all the details - from the "sand" to the gem "bubbles" to the little tiles representing sea plants! And I love how she used that background stamp - I never would have thought as an underwater background, but it's perfect! (Using a stamp in a non-traditional way is another one of Fika's tricks, btw.) About the only thing wrong with this birthday card is that the present will definitely be taking a backseat!

Show me a little girl who wouldn't squeal when she opened this? On second thought, show me a big girl who wouldn't do the same! Fika also gets out of the world of flat paper to make these exquisite dolls:

I don't know if she sells these on Etsy, but I suspect she ought to.

I'm certainly not the only one who feels Fika's work is praiseworthy. She's won quite a few accolades in the Hero Arts weekly blog challenges: HA Website Inspiration (3rd Place); Sneaky Inspiration (Honorable Mention); Photocard (3rd Place); Unexpected Holiday Color Challenge (1st Place); and Catalog Sneak Peek (1st Place). And, as I already mentioned, she was in the most recent batch of Win a Day winners. Although she has yet to be published, I think that will be a thing of the past in the near future. (I bet if she submitted that little doll card above to Cards magazine it might even make the cover. I mean, talk about original and fresh!)

Fika's got a very nice studio space. When I saw her desk, my eyes widened, but I was not surprised after considering its owner. Fika strikes me as being the sort of tidy and careful person who could have a glass desktop!

She also has some sort of a cabinet unit for her supplies and tools. I wish I had a picture of the whole thing, but you can tell it's a very cool piece of furniture.

You can see more photos of her space here.

Well, let's get to the good stuff, shall we? With no further ado, please raise your Diet-Cokes to Maria Fika Evelina, a Grand-Duchess of Detail!

Fika's Wonder-ful Interview

1. Do you pre-sketch a design or do you just leap out of the gate? How long does it usually take you to make a page? A card?

I never pre-sketch a design. I love daydreaming about my future cards, and just creating them based on my imagination or challenge requirements. It takes 2-6 hours to make a card. I rarely make a page, but if my photocard counts, I spent 8 hours making it.

2. How many, on average, pages per week do you make? Cards?

I usually make 2 or 3 cards at the weekend, but sometimes only one - it depends on my creative mojo.

I have three tips to share: First, more practice (like the old saying, “practice makes perfect”). :~D Second, you must know what is your speciality or style and make it shine -just do what you love and love what you do. Third, learn more techniques and get inspiration from the Hero Arts blog and Flickr group or from other super-talented stampers’ blogs.

All sounds good to me!

4. What's your stand-by, FAST dinner solution for those times when you really want to get to your scrap space ASAP (or stay ALAP)?

It’s instant noodles - even my DH can cook it by himself in less than 5 minutes. Or I just call in a delivery order from the nearest restaurant.

I would bring my Cuttlebug (in my real life I don’t have this - I use my dies manually - but on a dream island I hope I have it), scissors (small and large size), cutter, ruler, heat gun, craft punches, pencil, acrylic block, sponge and my Copic markers.

6. If you were still on that island, what kind of noise would you want (if any) in the background? List as many as five different favorite musical artists.

I love to hear various songs (pop, jazz, a bit of rock) but my favorite is love songs. I also like some natural sounds like the sound of waves or birds or a waterfall. I love so many artists, such as Richard Clayderman, The Corrs, Celine Dion, Savage Garden, Il Divo, Josh Groban, Christian Bautista, Lady Gaga, oops it’s more than five… ;)

7. If you could have anything you wanted, (concerning scrapping or stamping) what would it be?

I want to go to the USA; attend CHA; visit the Hero Arts company; meet and learn from the Hero Arts artists; and craft with my Hero Arts Flickr group friends. (I even dreamt about it! In my dream I got an invitation from Hero Arts to visit their company together with my best friend Vera. All tickets and accommodations were provided.)

*Grin* That's a pretty sweet dream to have, alright!

8. What about your style/artistry are you least satisfied with?

Sewing, masking, and creating masculine cards. It’s so hard for me necause my head is full of pinkish stuffs.... LOL!

Okay - I had to laugh when I read that because I got this picture of your head with cotton candy poking out of your ears. But I suppose you mean you really like using the color pink?

9. What cameras have you tried, which one is your favorite, and why? (You can shorten this to just the one you're using now if you like.)

My Sony Cyber Shot DSC-T2 is my first camera, and I love it because it’s small, handy, and has a micro function.

10. What's the word or phrase that comes to your lips when you mess up while creating? ("Unprintable" is definitely an option!)

Oh, shoot!!

11. Give us a quick description of your pets.

I don’t have any pets right now, but when I was a child, I had a dog named Bonnie. He had big brown eyes and white fur and was so loyal; he always waited for me at the door of my house until I came back from school.

12. Give us a quick description of your job.

I work as an accountant at a TV station. Every day I play with lots of numbers - in my job meticulousness is so important. Lots of pressure and working long hours also are required at the closing period and especially at this time when several colleagues and bosses leave us.

13. Give us a quick description of you family.

I’m a wife. My husband’s name is Widya. We were co-workers when I worked as an auditor in my previous company. It’s the third year of our marriage. I love him so much as he’s so patient, understanding, caring and supportive of me in everything I do.

14. Got a fun or little known fact about yourself you’d like to share?

I can sleep anywhere, (in the car or bus while sitting or standing) and I love sleeping with my Hero Arts catalog or stamps and dream about them.

Now that's a true fan! If anyone in the Hero Arts marketing department is reading this, I recommend a photo Fika curled up asleep with her arms wrapped around her HA catalog!

15. What’s your favorite stamping technique?

Cutting the images, coloring and layering…

16. What do you find more satisfying - the process or the product?

I think both of them are related to each other. Good products and a good creative process equal an awesome result.

I sooooo agree!

❧

Check out more of Fika's art at her blog, her Flickr photostream and her Greeting Farm Gallery. And don't forget to check out her online shop!

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March 31, 2010

Spotlight on Shanna Vineyard

Today's Wonder is one hot mama!

Literally.

She has seven children.

All under the age of 12.

Two are in diapers.

She's also an Arizona girl relocated to Mississippi, so there's another reason she's hot.

And then we have her creative output - which is, of course, pretty dang hot, obviously, or we wouldn't be here!

Ladies, please meet Shanna Vineyard!

Look at this peaceful and happy countenance. Does this look like the face of a mother of seven children under the age of 12 with two who can't score at the potty without an assist?

If I had seven children under the age of 12, I would look like this:

Actually, now that I think about it, I look like this on a regular basis. Hmmmm.... I must speak to Gigi. There's only one of her (as opposed to seven) - clearly that child is way beyond her allotted share of Drive-Your-Mama-Nuts....

But enough of this nonsense! Let's talk about Shanna!

Despite my professions for the simple designs in life, I'm as fond of extravagance as the next girl. Luckily for me, there are people like Shanna out there! Shanna's gift is the ability to assemble a variety of dramatic - and often bold - colors and patterns and shapes in such a way as to make them pleasing to the eye. (This is not my gift, so I am deeply appreciative of it in others!) Take this card for example:

Now there's a Whole Lot Sumpin' Sumpin' going on here. Unfortunately, I can't tell you why this works. If I could, I'd be doing it myself. Oh, sure, I can pick out a few things - like how she's using the rule of thirds for her still life there at the bottom right. Also, she may be using lots of different paper "patterns" here, but they're all (1) small in scale, and (2) of the same basic tone (they all have a shared level of grey, basically) with a lot of soft, muted colors. She selected the red family as her pop of choice, and she's demonstrating repetition with her use of this color family through some of the paper bunnies, the big bunny's bow, the inked sentiments, and the focal point of the brighter, pink-ish doily. She's got texture through the gauze bow, crochet and paper flowers, and the lace of the doily. The composition is already very busy, so she accents it with simple methods: edging with ink and stitches - subtle but effective! Toss is some elegant pearls for a little bling and - voila! - Art.

I assure you that, had you dumped these materials on my desk and told me to use all of them in one card, we wouldn't have had Art in the end.

Mess, yes, but Art...? Not on your life, sister-girl!

Check out this wall hanging:

This is the kind of thing I'd love to make, but, again, sit me down with the parts, and you'll find me there three hours later staring at it... and somehow covered with glue, to boot. Shanna's got the small patterns again, and everything she's using falls within a tight color palette of peachy-pink, light aqua and chocolate browns with a little orange-tinged goodness for a pop. And she's distressing everything again. I am all for distressing, btw! I loooooves me some Worn-Out Wow! One thing I've noticed we do have in common: our favorite focal point is downstage (usually right) on the composition. You can bank on it!

This one is extremely clever, I think:

She's very sneaky here and creates a visual triangle out of brown with the bow, the butterfly, and part of the pattern on this Bo Bunny Flutter Butter paper. Now that's just plain sly! (And speaking of sly, guess who designed the stickers that are a part of the Flutter Butter collection?)

And lest you think Shanna is only capable of being brilliant when she's busy being busy, check out what she can do when she's just chillin':

Just how cool is this set of eco-messaged cards?

And then there's this giftie "bag":

This sweet thing is filled with stuff - the ribbon at the neck unties to allow the contents out. If you'd like to make one of these, you can download the pattern here.

Wanna see where Shanna's makes her magic? Here's the broad overview (look at all that gorgeous natural light)!

And here's a wee close-up.

Shanna's a bit of a star. (DUH! Ya think?!) She's been published in Paper Crafts, Scrapbook Trends, CARDS, Creating Keepsakes, and ScrapStreet (an online mag). (What a slacker, eh? But seven kids will slow a person down, I imagine.) Not only was she a former member of the QuicKuts Design Team, but she's also on the Bo Bunny Design Team, and she actually designs stickers for them! (Follow the link and see if you have any of the stickers Shanna designed.)

And on that note, let's get on with learning about today's Wonder! Please raise your Diet-Cokes to Shanna Vineyard, Mississippi's Red-Hot, Card-Makin' Mama!

Shanna's Wonder-ful Interview

1. Do you pre-sketch a design or do you just leap out of the gate? How long does it usually take you to make a page? A card?

I try to create something on my own at first using whatever mojo I can muster up. HA! But if I stare at things longer than about 15-20 minutes and nothing comes, then I reach for sketches! I love the instant inspiration they provide! I use this process for layouts and cards!

2. How many, on average, pages per week do you make? Cards?

I try to scrap at least one layout per week if my schedule allows for it, but I make at least 3-4 cards per week on average.

I feel like such a schlub.

I’ve adopted the “less is more” mentality (LOL!) - I think more out of necessity than anything else. I used to use a lot more products on my pages and cards but that was when I could afford to buy more scrapping supplies. Now that my husband and I have 7 children between us... well... you know. HA!

4. What's your stand-by, FAST dinner solution for those times when you really want to get to your scrap space ASAP (or stay ALAP)?

Uh…. A Little Ceasar’s $5.00 Pizza? LOL! Is that bad?

6. If you were still on that island, what kind of noise would you want (if any) in the background? List as many as five different favorite musical artists.

Oh no!!! The sound of the ocean would be pure HEAVEN!!! As loud as it gets in my house with 7 kiddos… are you kidding? LOL! And at night when the kids are in bed, and I’m scrapping I usually get to hear the sound of UFC on the TV from my hubby. HA!

So Shana's opting for The Sounds of Silence, More Silence, QUIET!, All's Quiet on the West Coast Front, and This Ain't Yer Baby's Silence. I can relate to those.

7. If you could have anything you wanted, (concerning scrapping or stamping) what would it be?

I’d probably wish for my own scrappy room/space where it wasn’t out in the open for kids to get into or company to see when they come over. But that won’t happen until kids start leaving home… in which case… I CAN WAIT! Wink!

8. What about your style/artistry are you least satisfied with?

I have a lot to learn about all the different stamping techniques out there. It’s been a slow process for me over the last year but certainly an enjoyable one!

Now I REALLY feel like a schlub.

9. What cameras have you tried, which one is your favorite, and why? (You can shorten this to just the one you're using now if you like.)

I ♥ my Canon Rebel XT! It’s an oldie but a goodie!

10. What's the word or phrase that comes to your lips when you mess up while creating? ("Unprintable" is definitely an option!)

“OH SNAP!” (we use that phrase a lot in our house!)

11. Give us a quick description of your pets.

A Black Lab named Roo, (we nicknamed her “Rucifer” since she’s always into trouble! LOL) and a Beagle named Kirby. My hubby literally found him homeless on the curb when he was a puppy so that’s how he got his name. He’s the sweetest dog alive!

12. Give us a quick description of your job.

Work-at-home-Mom. I design stickers for Bo Bunny and sell my handmade creations so I can be home with my children.

13. Give us a quick description of your family.

My best friend and soul mate, Shane Vineyard, and our blended family of 6 princesses and 1 lone prince: "His": Kacie (10) and Karlie (8); "Mine": Bailee (12), Macey (10), and Cassidy (8); and "Ours": Brody (2 in two days) and Chloe (closing in on 6 months).

14. Got a fun or little known fact about yourself you’d like to share?

I’m a hopeless Dr. Pepper addict.

Have you had their Diet Cherry Vanilla Dr. Pepper? I LOOOOOOOOOVE that stuff! And it's getting harder and harder to find. This wicked, wicked woman at church turned me onto it last summer. If they quit making it, I'm going to shoot her and then myself.

15. What’s your favorite stamping technique?

Oh man! I like them all, but embossing is the most fun to me!

16. What do you find more satisfying - the process or the product?

For sure the process! I love creating and working with my hands. I don’t always like the finished product but using my creativity is the fun part!

Now THAT"S a good answer.

❧

You can experience more of Shanna's goodies at her blog, her 2 Peas gallery, her Flickr page, her monthly card club, and her Etsy shop! (Shew - that's a lotta goodies!)

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March 24, 2010

Spotlight on Julie Batta

Today's Wonder hails from the Hawkeye state - Rockwell City, Iowa, to be specific, and I have put off writing her interview this last week because I literally couldn't choose which of her cards were my favorites. If it was up to me, I'd be high-jacking half of her blog and plopping down the whole thing right here. But making hard decisions is why they pay me the big bucks! (Or would pay me the big bucks, if anybody were paying me, which sadly enough is not the case.)

But enough meandering! Ladies, please meet Julie Batta - a bona fide master of simple brilliance.

Look at her beautiful skin - she flat-out glows, doesn't she?

So what's the big deal about Julie's creations? She does with ease the hardest creative task: she does Simple. Simple designs executed with a minimum of product and fuss. This Haweye's got the eye.

Now here's the part where I'm supposed to show you one of her cards as an example of what I'm talking about. And this is where I hesitate because it's like asking a mother to pick her favorite child - and these aren't even my children, for crying out loud! But since somebody has to be chosen, take a gander at this understated beauty:

This is classic Julie: card stock, stamps, and limited color palette. She's got an attractive sentiment that is framed like a diamond solitaire is nestled in a setting; a diamond is nice, but it's the setting that shows it to its best advantage - same is true of our sentiment here. She puts the framed sentiment in a primary visual place by following the rule of thirds, and she also gives it primacy by lifting it from the page with pop-dots. She then adds a dash of interest by pairing it with some cut-out stamped images that lead the eye outward toward the edges of the card, so we got movement/energy. The raindrop background provides some subtle contrast that helps set off the the sentiment rather than detracting from it. There's no ribbon because who needs one here? There's no bling because where would we put it that could possibly improve upon this composition? And one last thing - the sentiment is surrounded by an ornate, curvy frame and some curvy branches. Angles love curves - and her card accommodates by keeping every other edge on this card straight.

Here's another one - a little looser this time (she's branching out into buttons and bling):

Again, we have no ribbon and the 3-D items are used with restraint. I love, love, love how she uses a border punch to scallop the edges of plain card stock and then layers them providing a very simple yet effective design element. Close your eyes and try to see this card with a pattern stamped on the background of the card base....

And just that quick, you see how her sense of restraint is perfectly tuned here.

Here's another one that makes me happy:

Here she's using this cardstock lattice very effectively to add visual interest without bulk. The angled lines of the lattice are clean and crisp, while the scalloped bottom is a nice contrast and echoes the curves found in the flowers above. She's staying within a tight color palette, hanging out with the Purple Fam, and then adds some pop with that pale yellow ribbon. Nuthin' but net.

Here's Julie getting a little more "complex":

This card is more visually "busy" but it's still a terrific example of simple design. I believe those circles are punched from patterned paper and laid down in a standard left-to-right progression, varying in size, with the largest one falling right on one of the rule of thirds' sweet spots. Outline those circles with a broken line, toss in a few flowers with some pearl centers, and it's Magic Time!

One of the best things about Julie's cards is how quickly they can be made. (Bonus!) I have no idea how long it takes her to come up with a design, but its execution promises to be swift.

Wanna see where she creates her art? Here's Julie's self-proclaimed "Tiny Little Corner of the Universe":

Now this is surely a lesson to me (to many of us, I imagine) of how less is more. By deliberately keeping her holdings small, Julie increases her productivity. Everything she needs is an arm's length away. Everything she has, she can see (and therefore be more likely to actually use it). And, as I'm sure you'll notice as you read this post, a lack of real estate and/or additional supplies is not negatively affecting her creative output at all.

(Drool, drool, drool....)

Julie's creations have received plenty of attention: Hero Arts Blog: Minute Card Challenge (Honorable Mention); Colorful Challenge (1st Place for Scrapbooking); Valentine Challenge (1st place for Scrapbooking); My Message Challenge (Honorable Mention); and Go Green Challenge (3rd Place). Dawn McVey's Raspberry Suite Color Challenges in the Spotlight: Weeks 2, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 18, and 19. Papertrey Ink Guest Star Stamper July and September, 2009 (Honorable Mentions). Aaaaaand....one of 20 winners in the PaperCrafts World Card Making Day challenge. She's also about to be published in the May, 2010, issue of Cards magazine.

Although Julie's never been on a Design Team, this is only a matter of time. I fully expect her to eventually work for one of the product manufacturers. There's nothing like simplicity to show off a product, and Julie's some kind of wonderful when it comes to the art of simplicity.

So let's get on with learning about today's Wonder! Please raise your Diet-Cokes to Julie Batta, a leader of the K.I.S.S. nation!

Julie's Wonder-ful Interview

1. Do you pre-sketch a design or do you just leap out of the gate? How long does it usually take you to make a page? A card?

I usually just jump out of the gate. But on occasion, if I have been making quite a few layouts at one time and need a fresh or invigorating idea for my pages, I will use a sketch to get the creative juices flowing again. A layout can take me anywhere from 1-3 hours to complete. As for my cards, I usually don’t use a sketch unless it's called for by a challenge. My cards take me anywhere from 15 to 45 minutes.

I could just weep. I am such a turtle....

2. How many, on average, pages per week do you make? Cards?

On average, I make about 1 page a week and about 6-7 cards - all depending on my level of creativity: sometimes I crank out more, sometimes none.

The quickest way for me to put a page or card together is to use one coordinating line of paper and supplies and use those products only for my pages or cards. For instance, for our summer vacation album I used only the Traveler line from Little Yellow Bicycle to complete my whole album. I was able to finish my 40-page, 12x12 album in 2 weeks because I didn’t have to deal with the hassle of mixing and matching other lines together.

And since I just recently started submitting cards to magazines, I make sure to keep all my product in the original packages. It makes it so much easier to identify all the brands of products I used without going on line to find out who produced what.

And, simply, keep all your most used tools close (a good time saver). And be organized so you know exactly where you have a certain stamp or embellishment when you want it.

4. What's your stand-by, FAST dinner solution for those times when you really want to get to your scrap space ASAP (or stay ALAP)?

LOL!!! I wish it was that easy to create. I usually don’t get the pleasure of a quick meal and then off to my scrap room (corner). I always scrap at night after the kids go to bed and stay up until 11:30-midnight most nights. I think better with no distractions at all. But, if I were to be so lucky, my kids ask nightly for pizza, and I would be the hit of my house if I always gave them that. But it’s not delivery, it’s Digiorno. :o)

5. If you were stranded on an island that had a billion supplies but NO tools, what ten TOOLS would you HAVE to have? (All the stamps in the world are available, so you don't need to list them as one of your tools. EX: we've got all the embroidery floss in the world, but you're going to have to bring your own needle if you want to use any of it!)

You’re killing me here - all the product I could ever want and only 10 tools?! There are computers on deserted islands, aren’t there, so that tool shouldn’t count? OK, fine. If I have to pick them they would be, in no particular order: Creative Memories trimmer, BasicGrey rub-on tool, Cricut and graphically speaking cartridge, craft knife, scissors, Crop-a-Dial Big Bite, bone folder, acrylic blocks, and all my punches lumped into one, pretty please.

Okay, sure. The island's already gained mythical proportions with celebrity cabana boys, electricity, permanent 72-degree weather, and bottomless Margaritas. What's a 50-in-1 punch? You go for it, girlie! (You have to pay to have it shipped, though!)

6. If you were still on that island, what kind of noise would you want (if any) in the background? List as many as five different favorite musical artists.

Ingrid Michaelson, Daughtry, cast of Glee soundtracks, Lenka, Rascal Flatts.

7. If you could have anything you wanted, (concerning scrapping or stamping) what would it be?

I would love to have a nice paper trimmer. It is so hard to get a good cut with the ones I have tried, either the blade dulls quickly or the cut isn’t precise. Being a perfectionist really gives me troubles when I have jagged edges from a dull blade or uneven cuts. So to relieve my anxiety,a nice trimmer would be incredible. I am open for suggestions.

It's your lucky day! I, too, am a perfectionist, and I, too, was plagued by trimmer woes (I do believe I've tried them all). But I finally found The Answer in the Tonic Guillotine Trimmer - it changed my life! I have the 12'x6" because it travels easily: the arm's handle and the 12" measuring arm are easily removed and are stored in its underside. (You can also get the 12' x 12" version - the slimmer design is better for me because it takes up less room on my desk.)

What makes this sucker work so well, I suspect, is that see-through finger guard/pressure plate (which you hold down when you cut - no annoying magnets - yaaaaay!). Not only are your fingers protected, the plate keeps the paper from budging even a hairsbreadth. You can trim off as little as 1/32" and it's perfect. No chewing, twisting, or shredding. Perfect. The paper is cut by the "blade" making contact with the metal plate beneath, so it's not a traditional blade (it's not even sharp) that's really doing the cutting. Because of this technology, sharpening is not needed; I've had mine about a year, and it cuts as clean and sharp as on Day One. (TIP: comparison shop - I got mine online for about $14 because I found a killer sale. In retrospect, though, I'd pay as much as $50 because I love it so much!)

I wonder if they'll pay me for the free advertising...?

8. What about your style/artistry are you least satisfied with?

I am not very good at coloring in images. That has a lot to do with not having the right tools (like Copic markers) but even when using colored pencils and watercolor pencils, I don’t like the results. I usually avoid coloring at most costs. I also wish I could sew on my pages and cards effortlessly; it's always so much of a chore for me.

9. What cameras have you tried, which one is your favorite, and why? (You can shorten this to just the one you're using now if you like.)

I am currently using a simple Kodak Z650 digital camera. I haven’t really tried other cameras.

10. What's the word or phrase that comes to your lips when you mess up while creating? ("Unprintable" is definitely an option!)

"Shykee" (pronounced like you see it). Just a made up word that seems to do the trick. And you can really get some good pronunciation behind it - all the better. I use this playing volleyball, too, and it also does the trick there.

You are a woman after my own heart. Do we have variety in this word - like, "You shyking glue?!" (Because I have some glue that needs a good shyking, I think.)

11. Give us a quick description of your pets.

A 4-year-old cat named Tiger and a turtle named Flipper. We are real creative on the names aren’t we?

We name our pets after food, so who am I to judge?

12. Give us a quick description of your job.

Stay At Home Mom. I love my job because I get to be with my kids and be available to them. And since my oldest has started junior high sports, it is really nice to be able to go to all his events. I have my moments, though, when a job would be nice to get out of the house some, but I will be happy to have spent this time with my kids. I'm assuming I don’t have to list the description for my job - we all know how hard it is to be a mom - but also how rewarding.

That we do. Despite my understanding and appreciation of why certain animals eat their young, I can honestly say that my desire to devour Gigi is usually minimal.

13. Give us a quick description of your family.

My husband Curt and I have been married for 13 years, and we live in rural Iowa with our three boys (Jordan - 12, Zach - 10, Gavin - 4) and our girl (Riley - 5). Curt and I both grew up around here. Once we were done with college and had a family, we both new that we belonged close to home and in a small peaceful environment. So we are pretty much Iowa lifers and are proud of it.

That's so cool. I envy you that.

14. Got a fun or little known fact about yourself you’d like to share?

I never owned a cell phone until three years ago and never got my ears pierced until I was 31. Sad, I know!!!

Not as sad as being one of those nits that insists on driving and dialing at the same time, or one of those people who've mistaken their face for a pincushion!

15. What’s your favorite stamping technique?

Eek. Can I say "simple"? I just like to stamp on all sorts of card stock and cut it out to make it pop off my page. I don’t do anything fancy, I just like to ink up my stamps and go to town.

I say, don't fix it if it ain't broke - and in your case, it definitely ain't broke!

16. What do you find more satisfying - the process or the product?

I love my mailman as much as anyone else, but I love the process of creating more. I love getting a new punch, but love more the thoughts of how many different ways I could use it. I love the first time I stamp a new stamp but love more the thought of getting out my scissors and enjoying the process of cutting out my stamped image. Don’t get me wrong, I fall in love with certain products and have to have them to make myself a happy little crafter, but to be completely happy, my creativity takes me there.

❧

Check out more of Julie's creations at her blog, and at her Flickr page!

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March 17, 2010

Spotlight on Nancy Taylor

Today's Wonder is a Super Wonder because she's a Professional Wonder. She's soooooo good people pay her to make cards! Y'all already know her work and her face is pretty familiar to us H'Art Heads. But just in case you've been hiding under a rock or something... please give it up for Nancy Taylor, paper artisan!

(I don't know if Hero Arts just happens to hire cute people or if people get cuter after they start working there, but is Nancy a cutie or what?! She comes from California, so she had a head start in the cute department, I suspect.)

Nancy has a special place in my heart because it was her use of Hero Arts "Real Flower" stamps that first really grabbed my attention and made me burn to stamp. (Yes, burn, I say! Before this time I merely yearned, but after... well, nothing would do but to feed Spouse Mac and Cheese for a week so I could direct our food budget to a much more noble expenditure.)

Since Nancy's a professional whose work we've all been drooling over for years, it's sort of pointless for me to attempt to break down her style. I usually suspect that I'm looking at a Nancy Taylor Original (or an NTO, for short) when I see watercolors and sweet simplicity. And if you people expect me to pick out my six favorite NTO's, you are all nuts! I tried but it was a fool's errand, so I resorted to a time-honored scientific method....

The coin toss.

And here's the first result - a beautiful Real Flower masterpiece! Really, now - how can such a card not speak to any self-respecting paper artist? This is vintage NTO - focus on the stamp, clean lines, simple design, flawless execution....

I've said it before on this blog, and I'm sure I will say it again: I often look at my own work and feel intimidated by all the Card Extravaganzas out there. But all I have to do is look at Nancy's work, and I am immediately soothed by their simple elegance. Her art inspires me and encourages me - makes me feel like I, too, can turn out something pretty, and it doesn't have to be filled with layers and techniques.

It can just... be.

But back to Nancy! Did you know she holds a patent? Yes, indeedy, she sure does! About ten years ago, she patented the “Press a Frame”, which creates an embossed image on paper without the use of a light box or brass stencil and was carried by Hero Arts for several years. It's similar to the paper embossing machines we have now, except a stylus is used to create the raised embossed paper shapes.

How about this elegant holiday beauty? I love the way she makes a visual triangle with the reddish ink, don't you?

Nancy has frequently contributed to The Rubber Stamper, Take Ten, Stamper’s Sampler, Craft’s Beautiful Magazine, Snapshot Memories, Creating Keepsakes and Expression Art Magazine, not to mention Heaven-only-knows how many idea books. Since Nancy is a life-long native of California and since she's been involved in the stamping community for over 22 years, she's Old School - and not just with the techniques, either. She taught classes at Posh Presents (Dee Gruenig’s very first store in Laguna Niguel). She remembers when stampers had a blank ink pad, a box of colored pencils and not a whole lot else. Can you imagine life without Nesties or embossing folders? Border stamps and decorative scissors? Gems and Stickles...

A world without gems and Stickles?!

Somebody fetch me my smelling salts!

But perhaps it is the absence of these things that provides the best foundation for mastering the craft of rubber stamp art. I love all the extras, (as my bank account will attest) but they sometimes get between me and the paper - the craft - that is stamping, and I've definitely hidden many a weak design or shoddy execution beneath any number of frills. Nancy, however, had to Get It Done without these fabulous distract-ors, and that's one of the reasons she's as good as they come.

Just look at this card. It's charming and elegant and lovely to look at - and there's not so much as a seed pearl on that thing!

Nancy's teaching career didn't end with Posh Presents. She's taught classes for all age groups and developed the Hero Arts Studio Workshop program, and, of course, she's a Hero Arts Artist who contributes card art to the HA catalogs, trade shows, and its popular blog. And, like all true artists, Nancy is constantly growing by studying the work of others.

She told me, "I love wandering through the fantastic cards on Flicker, Split Coast Stampers and 2 Peas. However, I find very little time to submit to other [non -HA] sites. It's on my “bucket list”, though. On March 25, 2010, Lisa Spangler, Jennifer McGuire, and I will be exchanging cards with Heather from A Muse... it's always fun to work with another stamp company’s images."

(So mark your calendars, ladies!)

With no further ado, lift your Diet Cokes to Nancy Taylor, a Testament to Taste and Elegance!

Nancy's Wonder-ful Interview

1. Do you pre-sketch a design or do you just leap out of the gate? How long does it usually take you to make a page? A card?

Some stamps just make me think of card ideas when I see them, others take a bit longer. I do sketch some ideas and colors to use for reference.

2. How many, on average, pages per week do you make? Cards?

Hmmm... that’s a very good question. If the design team is working on trade show classes I do as many as possible to use in our booth. Most of the time, I make maybe 5 or 6 cards. I love playing with watercolors and sometimes a stamp design turns into a small painting to add to the front of a card.

3. How has your process evolved to make you a leaner, meaner crafting machine? (In other words, what are some lessons you've learned or tips you can share that allow you to make better and faster design choices?

Leaner and meaner... that will probably never happen. I have never met a piece of ribbon or paper that I don’t love. I love “just having” lots of supplies to play with and I am the neighborhood “go to person” when someone is giving a party.

If you look at the card on Thursday’s blog of March 4th, 2010, sometimes you just have to let a card “sit overnight” and not try and force a solution. Amazingly the next morning you will probably find the answer. I always try and remember that "nobody is going to die if my card is not perfect."

I totally agree with you about sleeping on it. My problem is that I tend to be impatient and don't want to wait! But every time I DO wait and then revisit the trouble-maker, I'm always smacking my head, saying, "Of course! How could I not see it before?!"

4. What's your stand-by, FAST dinner solution for those times when you really want to get to your scrap space ASAP (or stay ALAP)?

Whatever frozen dinner my husband wants, if he doesn’t want the kind of soup I am having. In the summer it’s grilled veggies and chicken in a flour tortilla.

5. If you were stranded on an island that had a billion supplies but NO tools, what ten TOOLS would you HAVE to have? (All the stamps in the world are available, so you don't need to list them as one of your tools. EX: we've got all the embroidery floss in the world, but you're going to have to bring your own needle if you want to use any of it!)

A pair of scissors, (good ones not ones with glue dots stuck to the blades…….please tell me I am not the only one with yucky scissors?) Nail polish remover, to get the yucky stuff off the scissors. A paper Trimmer for sure, Glue Dots, Lots of punches, a camera, my Cuttlebug and some folders. An embossing gun and powders (clear, gold and white). If you count all the punches and the powders that’s way more than 10, and I would have to have a cup of tea. I cannot stamp without a cup of tea.

You are not the only one with yucky stuff on your scissors. I, myself, have Glue Issues, so I have yucky everything. I'm in awe of your ability to isolate your yuck to just the scissors. Is it the tea? I could try drinking more tea. I would drink a whole bleedin' POT of tea if I thought it would cure my glue challenged-ness.

6. If you were still on that island, what kind of noise would you want (if any) in the background? List as many as five different favorite musical artists.

Oh, dear, this is a dead give-away for an aging stamper…. (I would have to add an I Pod to the supplies above.) If I am working with a deadline it would most definitely be Flashdance, Footloose, Billy Joel and Elton John.

Oh, dear, is right - I was in high school when those movies came out... where is my walker? Oh, wait a minute - here it is. Glued to my skirt.

If I were stuck and needed to jumpstart my creativity I would choose Floyd Cramer (anybody remember him: Music Box Dancer?) James Galway, (great flute music, better known to the younger set as “elevator music”) Evelyn Glennie, a percussionist, and Neil Diamond (all the old arrangements).

7. If you could have anything you wanted, (concerning scrapping or stamping) what would it be?

Time - an entire day with nobody around, no phone calls, no computer and no guilt about spending the entire day with my stamps and supplies.

After having a dedicated stamping space, "more time" is the second most popular response to that question. ("World Peace" has yet to show up.)

8. What about your style/artistry are you least satisfied with?

The collage look that Shari and Tim Holtz do so well. I have always admired Tim and his ability to create a beautiful work of art from scraps, stamps and ink.

I bet if you gave that man a used Kleenex he'd turn it into Art.

9. What cameras have you tried, which one is your favorite, and why? (You can shorten this to just the one you're using now if you like.)

One of the hardest decision I have ever made was giving up my old Canon AE1 for my Canon 20D. I love my 20D now, and even though there are newer models, with faster and more unique bells and whistles, I feel like I have hardly scratched the surface of what this one will do for me. I chose it originally because my grandson was playing ice hockey, and I wanted to get good action shots behind the glass. His sister is now an equestrian, so I'm very glad I have a camera that takes action shots. A friend of mine who is a fantastic photographer told me, “Get the best camera you can afford even if it seems more than you will need.” He was right.

10. What's the word or phrase that comes to your lips when you mess up while creating? ("Unprintable" is definitely an option!)

I guess it depends on my level of frustration and who is in the room with me.

11. If you couldn't do this for a career, what would you do?

I would write books for children.

12. I know you've been with Hero Arts for many years. How did you begin that relationship?

My daughter worked for Dee Gruenig at her very first Posh Presents while she was in high school. Once I saw what stamps could do, I was hooked. I taught classes for Dee until Jackie Leventhal flew down from Berkeley to see what Dee did with all the stamps she was purchasing from Hero Arts. I then started doing catalog work for Hero Arts and some of the best times of my life began.

That is so cool - like Lana Turner being discovered in a drug store! I've always dreamed of being discovered... and if I ever get my skirt unglued from my chair, I'm going to see if I can find a drugstore where stamping Big Shots hang out and try to get myself Discovered!

13. Give us a quick description of your pets.

One very small dog, a miniature schnauzer

14. Give us a quick description of your job.

I help retail stores with merchandising ideas, create cards, and find ideas for new images.

15. Give us a quick description of your family.

Husband, 1 adult daughter (and her family) and 2 adult sons (and their families).

16. Got a fun or little known fact about yourself you’d like to share?

I love stamping at home in my pajama bottoms. Even if I am seen on Skype or in a video I probably have my pajamas on..I can’t believe I am telling everybody this.

Ahem... this raises a rather delicate issue.... May I be so bold as to ask about the whereabouts of the pajama... top?

17. What’s your favorite stamping technique?

Watercolor, but (like Sally) I am very partial to my pair of scissors, too. When Sally and I started stamping over 20 years ago the available supplies were whatever we could adapt to stamping - colored pencils, a black ink pad and some colored pens were our staples then. Now, everywhere you look, there are supplies that can be adapted to stamping. Through the Internet this once-cottage industry has built a cottage in every country of the world.

I think that's putting it mildly - I believe the cottage is amassing castle-like proportions. YIPPEE!!!! (shrieked the addict.)

18. What do you find more satisfying - the process or the product?

The process, but I always love using new products.

❧

Check out more of Nancy's art at the Hero Arts Idea Gallery!

❧❧❧

It's taken awhile, but we've now come to the end of the Hero Arts Artists Wednesday Wonder interviews! I've listed the other HA Artist's interviews below for anyone who may have missed one. (I revisited them and was sort of amazed at how this interview has developed from the first to the last (they're in order from the first one - Lisa - to the most recent).

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March 10, 2010

Spotlight on Deirdre Horgan

Today's Wonder hails from County Cork, Ireland. I don't know about anyone else, but the name of the place strikes me as being rather romantic and magical - which is really fitting because this Wonder looks like she just stepped out of a well-known fairy tale. Ladies, may I introduce you to Deirdre Horgan, aka: Snow White?

Isn't the resemblance amazing? I'm expecting dwarfs to pop up at any moment....

What I like about Deirdre's cards are their simplicity. Simple is hard, but Deirdre does Simple very well. As someone who is more and more attracted to clean lines and less doo-dah, I look to people like Deirdre for inspiration and guidance because I know I won't be disappointed.

Take this lovely card, for instance. What a great example!

I love how Deirdre chooses one very strong focal point and then makes everything else support and compliment it. Here the focal point is that 3D blossom. She knows it's an attention-grabber, so there's no need to embellish it with jewels and glitter and Glimmer Mist, etc. She leaves that text paper alone with nothing but a flower-shaped button tied with some floss. Take a good look at that button. Deirdre is very clever at using shape to add interest - which means she's not relying on patterns and color combo's etc. This elegant flower is superbly balanced with an unfussy stem-and-leaf stamp (it's not just the size and width of this stamp that works here - its simple whimsy is a wonderful partner to that blossom above); and the sentiment stamp is an echo - three words in a simple font and one word "fancy" - kind of like a small diamond pendant on a graceful, swan-like neck. I can't tell if the background is patterned paper or stamped, but it doesn't really matter. It's very subtle and tiny so it doesn't distract from the flower and sentiment, but its presence adds the right amount of visual stimulation to keep the card from being boring. (Seriously, try imagining this card on plain red card stock... it would feel "flat.") The plain white border stitching also compliments the focal point of the flower, and the base of the card frames the canvas.

Another card I find very cool is this elegant creation with matching envelope! I suspect the photo doesn't do this one justice and that the real thing is the equivalent to that deadly little black dress we're all supposed to have in our closets. Here Deirdre's clear embossed the butterfly on the background - and this is a really good choice because the butterfly is a large image. Unlike the last card, a smaller image would have defeated the drama of this card and been lost in a black hole. Plus it makes for a nice repeating element, tying into the 3D butterfly. And speaking of that butterfly, I love that she stamped on gray-toned patterned paper. No other color would have worked there. Period. And having the trail of pearls bisecting the sentiment was a great touch - just try imagining that sentiment anywhere else, and see how quickly the visual balance goes straight down the sewer! (Those pearls, btw, are colored with a black Sharpie - a good solution, if you ask me. Just buy white pearls and then color them to suit - brilliant!)

Here Deirdre's using shape as a major means of adding interest. (She's got Nesties, and she's not afraid to use them!) Once again, we see subtle patterned paper giving a nice amount of "umph!" without overpowering the focus. There's no need to ink any edges or mist with glitter, etc - those things would just fight with the strong black in the butterfly, its trail and the sentiment.

Deirdre's captured more than a little bit of attention. She won First Place in the Photo Card Challenge at the Hero Arts blog and in the April 2009 Do Crafts Weekly Challenge. One of her cards was chosen as a Stand Out in the Caardvarks digital challenge, and she also kicked a little fanny in the Two Peas in a Bucket Weekly Digital Challenges in August (for a scrapbook page) and October (for a card). In the print media, Deirdre was featured in Creativity Magazine's Talent Spot in the January 2010 issue. Dierdre is also a Design Team member of Paperplay Challenges. (Where, by the way, she is setting this week's challenge, it comes with a yummy prize package, so you better hop on over there as soon as you've finished reading this!)

Deirdre has a creative space in her attic, but she won't share it with us because she claims it's too messy. Which is so silly - genius is rarely tidy, and we're all a bunch of slobs, anyway. (This is very disappointing to me, Deirdre, as I have an attic, too, and am always looking for better solutions. Do you have dormers in your attic? Windows? We really MUST talk!)

Well, let's get on to the good stuff! With no further ado, lift your Diet-Cokes to Deirdre Horgan, a Conjurer of Uncomplicated Elegance (without benefit of animated forest creatures, I might add)!

Deirdre's Wonder-ful Interview

1. Do you pre-sketch a design or do you just leap out of the gate? How long does it usually take you to make a page? A card?

Usually I have an idea or concept for a card in my head that I try to convert onto paper – it doesn’t always work. I'm not much of a sketcher! It can take an hour to make a card or five, depending on whether or not I manage to get the image in my head onto paper.

2. How many, on average, pages per week do you make? Cards?

This really does vary week to week, sometimes I may make up to 10 or it could be just one or two.

3. How has your process evolved to make you a leaner, meaner crafting machine? (In other words, what are some lessons you've learned or tips you can share that allow you to make better and faster design choices?

I really don’t think I have become leaner or meaner in anything! I suppose the introduction of digital images has somewhat changed my card style and, of course, Copics (although I am only a beginner with these I absolutely LOVE working with them).

Ah, yes, just one more addict living in the crack house of ink!

4. What's your stand-by, FAST dinner solution for those times when you really want to get to your scrap space ASAP (or stay ALAP)?

Ah, that would be Irish stew – made in the morning and let to simmer for a couple of hours. (Anyone with an Irish connection will remember or will have experienced the Irish cooking method of boiling everything!) It may even stretch to a second day!!! and always tastes better on the second day too!

Alrighty, lassie, fork over that recipe NOW and nobody will get hurt! (I just happen to be a stew fiend.) We have crock pots over here in the USA - do you have something like that?

My sewing machine with thread (hopefully the island has power), adhesive, pop dots, pokey tool, black pen, ribbon, Copics, scissors (tiny ones for intricate cutting and large ones), Fiskars trimmer, and, of course, my PC!

No self-respecting island would be without power!

6. If you were still on that island, what kind of noise would you want (if any) in the background? List as many as five different favorite musical artists.

I like to work in the quiet. There is enough noise in my world but I do have U2, The Script, and Michael Bublé in my CD player at present.

7. If you could have anything you wanted, (concerning scrapping or stamping) what would it be?

More time in my day and the ability to go to Michael’s, Target etc. when the crafting supplies are on sale!

8. What about your style/artistry are you least satisfied with?

I would love to be better at colouring and master Copics!

9. What cameras have you tried, which one is your favorite, and why? (You can shorten this to just the one you're using now if you like.)

I have a Canon EOS 30D with four lenses, which I love. My camera goes pretty much everywhere with me.

10. What's the word or phrase that comes to your lips when you mess up while creating? ("Unprintable" is definitely an option!)

Bummer! (And it gets uttered quite a lot!)

Not to harp on this Snow White thing, but I just had this vision of you in Snow White's costume stamping away and then shrieking, "Bummer, bummer, bum, bum, bummer!" Is anybody else having a giggle at this image? This is a compliment, btw. I don't look like Snow White when I make a mistake stamping (or at any time, for that matter). No, I bare a striking resemblance to Rumpelstiltsken when the miller's daughter guessed his name....